13 hours ago
Let's just get this out of the way: Mark Wahlberg is as A-list as it gets. He broke out in 1997's "Boogie Nights," and in the nearly three decades since, he's built one of the highest-wattage careers in Hollywood: two Academy Award nominations, a Golden Globe nod for "The Fighter," multiple Emmy nominations as a producer (HBO's "Entourage" among them), and a filmography that spans crime dramas, comedies, and action blockbusters. Right now, he's back on screen in "By Any Means," a manhunt thriller set during the 1966 Mississippi civil rights killings.
He's also signaling where he's increasingly turning his attention. Wahlberg will sit down with Bruce K. Lee, Founder and CEO of Keebeck Wealth Management, on the main stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to talk about his own progression. Grab your ticket here so you don't miss a moment of this session and Disrupt 2026. Ticket prices increase on September 25.
Image Credits:TechCrunch
His acting career is really just part of the picture. Over the past two decades, Wahlberg has built a production company, a restaurant chain, apparel and fitness ventures, a slate of angel investments, and the now 25-year-old Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, which supports inner-city kids and teens. He's used his Hollywood success to launch big projects well outside the movie business — and in a fireside chat at this year's Disrupt, he's going to give us a peek into how.
Wahlberg, who's leaned almost entirely on entrepreneurial instinct about people, culture, products, and markets, is now someone who's been building institutional-level investing discipline, with Lee as his guide, and with a growing focus on healthcare and wellness startups. It's a rare, unvarnished look at how someone with Wahlberg's cultural intelligence has worked his way into some of the most sophisticated rooms in business and finance.
#techcrunch #ticket #decades #nominations
He's also signaling where he's increasingly turning his attention. Wahlberg will sit down with Bruce K. Lee, Founder and CEO of Keebeck Wealth Management, on the main stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to talk about his own progression. Grab your ticket here so you don't miss a moment of this session and Disrupt 2026. Ticket prices increase on September 25.
Image Credits:TechCrunch
His acting career is really just part of the picture. Over the past two decades, Wahlberg has built a production company, a restaurant chain, apparel and fitness ventures, a slate of angel investments, and the now 25-year-old Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation, which supports inner-city kids and teens. He's used his Hollywood success to launch big projects well outside the movie business — and in a fireside chat at this year's Disrupt, he's going to give us a peek into how.
Wahlberg, who's leaned almost entirely on entrepreneurial instinct about people, culture, products, and markets, is now someone who's been building institutional-level investing discipline, with Lee as his guide, and with a growing focus on healthcare and wellness startups. It's a rare, unvarnished look at how someone with Wahlberg's cultural intelligence has worked his way into some of the most sophisticated rooms in business and finance.
#techcrunch #ticket #decades #nominations
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16 days ago
OpenAI's head of data centers, Chris Malone, has left the company, adding to a string of senior executive departures at the artificial intelligence lab this year.
TechCrunch first reported his departure. Malone, who brought experience from data center roles at Meta and Google, came aboard in March 2025, and his exit arrives amid OpenAI's sweeping infrastructure expansion — one that envisions committing around $600 billion to compute through 2030, per CNBC.
OpenAI said in a statement that the company had "recently reorganized" its "infrastructure organization to support the scale and pace of our work," adding that it has "a strong, deeply experienced data center team in place, with clear leadership and the technical expertise to execute our plans." Under the new structure, Malone's reporting line shifted away from OpenAI President Greg Brockman and moved to OpenAI Vice President Sachin Katti, who ***** umed oversight of the group, according to TechCrunch. Responsibility for data center strategy is now distributed across a handful of leaders: Uday Ruddarraju heads the data center team, Brent Mayo manages the build and delivery program, and Spas Lazarov oversees data center engineering.
Malone's exit is one piece of a broader pattern of attrition at the top of the company. According to TechCrunch, Business Insider put the total count of senior departures in 2026 at 13, with a notable cluster occurring in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Chief Revenue Officer Denise Dresser announced she was leaving after nine months on the job and will be replaced by Dali Rajic, who most recently served as president and chief operating officer of cybersecurity company Wiz. Her departure came just days after Brad Lightcap, who spent eight years at OpenAI, including a four-year run as chief operating officer, said he was leaving to start a new venture. Before those exits, product and business chief Fidji Simo stepped down last month to manage a chronic illness, and Chief Marketing Officer Kate Rouch left in April for health reasons.
#openai #officer #president
TechCrunch first reported his departure. Malone, who brought experience from data center roles at Meta and Google, came aboard in March 2025, and his exit arrives amid OpenAI's sweeping infrastructure expansion — one that envisions committing around $600 billion to compute through 2030, per CNBC.
OpenAI said in a statement that the company had "recently reorganized" its "infrastructure organization to support the scale and pace of our work," adding that it has "a strong, deeply experienced data center team in place, with clear leadership and the technical expertise to execute our plans." Under the new structure, Malone's reporting line shifted away from OpenAI President Greg Brockman and moved to OpenAI Vice President Sachin Katti, who ***** umed oversight of the group, according to TechCrunch. Responsibility for data center strategy is now distributed across a handful of leaders: Uday Ruddarraju heads the data center team, Brent Mayo manages the build and delivery program, and Spas Lazarov oversees data center engineering.
Malone's exit is one piece of a broader pattern of attrition at the top of the company. According to TechCrunch, Business Insider put the total count of senior departures in 2026 at 13, with a notable cluster occurring in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Chief Revenue Officer Denise Dresser announced she was leaving after nine months on the job and will be replaced by Dali Rajic, who most recently served as president and chief operating officer of cybersecurity company Wiz. Her departure came just days after Brad Lightcap, who spent eight years at OpenAI, including a four-year run as chief operating officer, said he was leaving to start a new venture. Before those exits, product and business chief Fidji Simo stepped down last month to manage a chronic illness, and Chief Marketing Officer Kate Rouch left in April for health reasons.
#openai #officer #president
1 month ago
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, the role AI is playing in it. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility!
In just a few days, Amazon-owned Zoox will start charging for robotaxi rides. This might not seem like a big deal; the company's custom-built robotaxis are already giving rides to passengers in Las Vegas and San Francisco, after all. And it's opening up an early rider program in Miami and Austin too.
None of this matters — in a business sense — until the company can operate commercially.
And now it can, starting August 10, thanks to an exemption issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Because Zoox vehicles lack many of the traditional controls required under federal law, such as a steering wheel and pedals, it needed an exemption from federal motor vehicle standards in order to operate. It had an exemption that allowed it to demonstrate the technology; this one allows Zoox to operate a fleet of up to 2,500 vehicles commercially for two years.
The exemption is a win for Zoox, but it also paves the way for any other autonomous vehicle developer that wants to launch a robotaxi that lacks a steering wheel, pedals, or other requirements that might not be needed in a vehicle with no human driver. For instance, a robotaxi really doesn't need a rearview mirror; it already achieves that kind of visibility with sensors on the exterior of the vehicle.
#robotaxi #mobility #already
In just a few days, Amazon-owned Zoox will start charging for robotaxi rides. This might not seem like a big deal; the company's custom-built robotaxis are already giving rides to passengers in Las Vegas and San Francisco, after all. And it's opening up an early rider program in Miami and Austin too.
None of this matters — in a business sense — until the company can operate commercially.
And now it can, starting August 10, thanks to an exemption issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Because Zoox vehicles lack many of the traditional controls required under federal law, such as a steering wheel and pedals, it needed an exemption from federal motor vehicle standards in order to operate. It had an exemption that allowed it to demonstrate the technology; this one allows Zoox to operate a fleet of up to 2,500 vehicles commercially for two years.
The exemption is a win for Zoox, but it also paves the way for any other autonomous vehicle developer that wants to launch a robotaxi that lacks a steering wheel, pedals, or other requirements that might not be needed in a vehicle with no human driver. For instance, a robotaxi really doesn't need a rearview mirror; it already achieves that kind of visibility with sensors on the exterior of the vehicle.
#robotaxi #mobility #already
1 month ago
Okta on Thursday agreed to acquire AI identity security startup Permiso Security, betting that demand for protecting AI agents and other machine identities will grow as enterprises deploy autonomous software across their operations.
The identity management company did not disclose the terms of the transaction. But TechCrunch has learned that the acquisition is valued at just under $200 million and is structured as an almost all-cash deal, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. A spokesperson for Okta did not dispute the $200 million figure when TechCrunch asked CEO Todd McKinnon for comment about the deal, but the company would not comment on specifics of the deal terms.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of its fiscal 2027, Okta said, subject to customary closing conditions.
Okta's move to buy Permiso comes as identity management companies seek to expand beyond verifying users at login to continuously monitoring what users, applications, and AI agents do once gaining authorized access to a network environment. That shift has intensified competition to secure machine identities as enterprises embed AI deeper into everyday operations.
Permiso, which emerged from stealth in 2022, develops software that helps security teams spot suspicious activity in cloud environments after users or applications have been granted access. More recently, the startup has expanded its platform to monitor AI agents and other machine identities.
#identity
The identity management company did not disclose the terms of the transaction. But TechCrunch has learned that the acquisition is valued at just under $200 million and is structured as an almost all-cash deal, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. A spokesperson for Okta did not dispute the $200 million figure when TechCrunch asked CEO Todd McKinnon for comment about the deal, but the company would not comment on specifics of the deal terms.
The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of its fiscal 2027, Okta said, subject to customary closing conditions.
Okta's move to buy Permiso comes as identity management companies seek to expand beyond verifying users at login to continuously monitoring what users, applications, and AI agents do once gaining authorized access to a network environment. That shift has intensified competition to secure machine identities as enterprises embed AI deeper into everyday operations.
Permiso, which emerged from stealth in 2022, develops software that helps security teams spot suspicious activity in cloud environments after users or applications have been granted access. More recently, the startup has expanded its platform to monitor AI agents and other machine identities.
#identity
2 months ago
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your hub for the future of transportation and now, more than ever, the role AI is playing in it. To get this in your inbox, sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility!
Tesla kicked off earnings season — at least for this sector — and the shareholder letter, along with Elon Musk's remarks during the conference call, provided some pretty incredible disclosures I imagine have some investors concerned, or at least puzzled.
Tesla has backed off previous promises to reach "volume production" of the Cybercab, Tesla Semi, and Megapack 3 in 2026. And while the company has publicly touted expansions of its Tesla Robotaxi service into new cities in Florida and Texas, the quarter-over-quarter data shows a drop in paid robotaxi miles.
Senior reporter Sean O'Kane took a closer look at a graph shared in Tesla's shareholder letter. At a passing glance, the chart appears to show steady growth in paid robotaxi rides between August 2025 and June 2026, O'Kane notes. But the numbers displayed are **** ulative, and when broken down by quarter, they show that Tesla's Robotaxi fleet of Model Y SUVs carrying paying passengers covered around 1.1 million miles in the first quarter. That fell to roughly 700,000 miles in the second quarter, a decline of about 36%.
Musk also disclosed during the call that Tesla needs to accumulate driving data specific to the Cybercab before it can put large numbers of the vehicles on the road. That isn't terribly surprising; the Cybercab is new, after all. But the reason got my attention. He explained that Tesla has to accumulate miles using Cybercabs retrofitted with steering wheels and accelerator and braking pedals so it can calibrate to the Cybercab chassis.
#robotaxi
Tesla kicked off earnings season — at least for this sector — and the shareholder letter, along with Elon Musk's remarks during the conference call, provided some pretty incredible disclosures I imagine have some investors concerned, or at least puzzled.
Tesla has backed off previous promises to reach "volume production" of the Cybercab, Tesla Semi, and Megapack 3 in 2026. And while the company has publicly touted expansions of its Tesla Robotaxi service into new cities in Florida and Texas, the quarter-over-quarter data shows a drop in paid robotaxi miles.
Senior reporter Sean O'Kane took a closer look at a graph shared in Tesla's shareholder letter. At a passing glance, the chart appears to show steady growth in paid robotaxi rides between August 2025 and June 2026, O'Kane notes. But the numbers displayed are **** ulative, and when broken down by quarter, they show that Tesla's Robotaxi fleet of Model Y SUVs carrying paying passengers covered around 1.1 million miles in the first quarter. That fell to roughly 700,000 miles in the second quarter, a decline of about 36%.
Musk also disclosed during the call that Tesla needs to accumulate driving data specific to the Cybercab before it can put large numbers of the vehicles on the road. That isn't terribly surprising; the Cybercab is new, after all. But the reason got my attention. He explained that Tesla has to accumulate miles using Cybercabs retrofitted with steering wheels and accelerator and braking pedals so it can calibrate to the Cybercab chassis.
#robotaxi
2 months ago
Apple recently filed a trade secrets lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the AI company of a pattern of misconduct aimed at getting current and former Apple employees to share confidential information. (In response, OpenAI said it is "not aware of any evidence that this complaint has merit.")
On the latest episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O'Kane, and I debated whether this lawsuit will cast a shadow over OpenAI's much-discussed plans to get into the hardware business (starting with a mobile smart speaker) and go public.
"Even setting aside whether or not the court grants any kind of injunctive relief or any kind of restraining order over what OpenAI is doing, it just naturally can lead to that sort of situation where it's going to cause some delays in what OpenAI is working on," Sean suggested. "Which I'm sure was probably part of the reasoning behind Apple doing this. They don't do this stuff willy nilly."
With all those plans on the line, will OpenAI try to settle this as quickly as possible, or did it learn from its recent courtroom victory against Elon Musk that it can endure the cost and embarrassment of a trial? Kirsten, at least, predicts the latter.
Keep reading for a preview of our conversation, edited for length and clarity.
On the latest episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Kirsten Korosec, Sean O'Kane, and I debated whether this lawsuit will cast a shadow over OpenAI's much-discussed plans to get into the hardware business (starting with a mobile smart speaker) and go public.
"Even setting aside whether or not the court grants any kind of injunctive relief or any kind of restraining order over what OpenAI is doing, it just naturally can lead to that sort of situation where it's going to cause some delays in what OpenAI is working on," Sean suggested. "Which I'm sure was probably part of the reasoning behind Apple doing this. They don't do this stuff willy nilly."
With all those plans on the line, will OpenAI try to settle this as quickly as possible, or did it learn from its recent courtroom victory against Elon Musk that it can endure the cost and embarrassment of a trial? Kirsten, at least, predicts the latter.
Keep reading for a preview of our conversation, edited for length and clarity.
2 months ago
Lucid stock tumbled by as much as 40% on Tuesday, then clawed back a portion of those losses to end the session down 16%, following the publication of a report by an electric vehicle blog alleging the company was exploring bankruptcy or a move to go private. Lucid called the report false.
The report, from a site called EV, cited two unnamed sources who said consulting firm AlixPartners had recommended Lucid's board consider either Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection or a privatization, according to TechCrunch. The site also reported that AlixPartners had advised further restructuring in the U.S. and Europe and a sharper focus on the Gravity SUV.
Lucid chief communications officer Nick Twork told TechCrunch the claims were "completely false." "The company has sufficient liquidity to carry its operations well into next year, as recently published in its last quarterly filings, and it has not formed any special Board committee to explore the scenarios reported today," Twork said in a statement. "AlixPartners is ******* isting us in that and nothing else and has not recommended bankruptcy to management or the Board." AlixPartners declined to comment.
Regulators paused trading in Lucid shares on several occasions throughout the session due to excessive price swings. The stock swung between $5.76 and $2.37 on Tuesday before closing at $4.62. Lucid stock was down an additional 4.1% in premarket trading Wednesday.
As of the end of March, Lucid's total available liquidity stood at approximately $3.2 billion, with around $2.5 billion of that consisting of debt capacity it had yet to draw on, according to Barron's, citing Cantor Fitzgerald ******* yst Andres Sheppard. The company then secured another $1 billion in April, a sum that included a $200 million check from Uber. Sheppard wrote that the company was "funded well into next year."
The report, from a site called EV, cited two unnamed sources who said consulting firm AlixPartners had recommended Lucid's board consider either Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection or a privatization, according to TechCrunch. The site also reported that AlixPartners had advised further restructuring in the U.S. and Europe and a sharper focus on the Gravity SUV.
Lucid chief communications officer Nick Twork told TechCrunch the claims were "completely false." "The company has sufficient liquidity to carry its operations well into next year, as recently published in its last quarterly filings, and it has not formed any special Board committee to explore the scenarios reported today," Twork said in a statement. "AlixPartners is ******* isting us in that and nothing else and has not recommended bankruptcy to management or the Board." AlixPartners declined to comment.
Regulators paused trading in Lucid shares on several occasions throughout the session due to excessive price swings. The stock swung between $5.76 and $2.37 on Tuesday before closing at $4.62. Lucid stock was down an additional 4.1% in premarket trading Wednesday.
As of the end of March, Lucid's total available liquidity stood at approximately $3.2 billion, with around $2.5 billion of that consisting of debt capacity it had yet to draw on, according to Barron's, citing Cantor Fitzgerald ******* yst Andres Sheppard. The company then secured another $1 billion in April, a sum that included a $200 million check from Uber. Sheppard wrote that the company was "funded well into next year."
